Cabinet in Hiding

12.00.00am GMT Fri 15th Nov 2002

Liberal Democrats on Bedford Borough Council have called for greater openness within the new Mayors Cabinet after details to be discussed at the first cabinet meeting were released.

The details, set down in the agenda for next Wednesday's meeting, include no provision for questions from members of the public. Additionally the meeting has been changed from the customary 6:30pm slot to an earlier 4pm.

Speaking following the release of the agenda, Bedford Borough Lib Dem Group Leader Michael Headley said:

"This meeting shows contempt for open government and the people of the borough. The timing of this meeting is clearly set to prevent the majority of the public attending. Day time meetings maybe okay for a group of retired people who have become full time politicians but what about the people they are supposed to be serving?"

"The public have also lost the opportunity to put questions to the executive and bring up their issues. I introduced public questions to council committee meetings in order to allow the public to have their say. What has the cabinet got to hide by doing away with it?"

"I've also heard this won't be the first meeting the cabinet have. There is a secret meeting planned ahead of this where I suspect all the real decisions will be made. This is just rubber stamping in public. All in all this smacks of a cabinet that is scared to face the public. Perhaps the Mayor doesn't trust them to make the right decisions!"

He added:

"Bedford needs more accountability not less. Whilst this cabinet continues to be scared to face the public I see little prospect of open and transparent decision making."